Pathanamthitta, 14 July (H.S.): A 31-year-old woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances inside her residence in Adoor on Monday evening, prompting police to detain a male friend who was present in the house at the time of the incident.

The deceased has been identified as Shehna, a resident of Shinas Manzil at Kottamukal in Kannankode, Adoor. She was discovered hanging from the railing of an internal staircase at around 7 pm. Police said the exact cause of death will be determined only after the post-mortem examination.

The incident came to light after neighbours reportedly heard loud arguments and commotion from the house. They alerted Adoor municipal councillor Nazmal Kavila, who rushed to the residence and asked the man inside to open the door. When the door was opened, Shehna was found hanging inside the house.

According to preliminary information, blood was noticed on Shehna's body. The man who was inside the house also had visible injuries on his face and other parts of his body, along with bloodstains. Police took him into custody for questioning soon after arriving at the scene.

Investigators said evidence at the house indicated that an altercation had taken place before the woman's death. Officials are examining all possible angles, including the sequence of events leading up to the incident.

Shehna was employed at a private bank in Kulanada. She was married and the mother of a child but had reportedly been living separately from her husband.

Her family has alleged that Shehna was murdered, rejecting the possibility that she died by suicide. Her mother told reporters that her daughter would never have taken such a step, especially considering she had a young child.

Pathanamthitta District Police Chief said the circumstances surrounding the death appeared suspicious and that the exact cause would be established only after the post-mortem report. The detained man is being questioned, and further investigation is underway.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman